From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Final report and test results for the 28-EX experimental car, comparing it to other models and deciding against standardizing an anti-roll rod.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 11\5\ 05-page194 | |
| Date | 13th October 1934 | |
| To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} From Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} C. To Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} C. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} 7941 Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}2/MJ.13.10.34. 28-EX. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} is busy getting out a final report on 28-EX. and preparing the necessary Standardisation Sheets. We expect this to be completed in a day or so. We have had a discussion and gone over all the results and are satisfied that the parts which are on order for Production will be satisfactory. One of the tests we did in France on 28-EX. was that G.W.H. took it to Brussels to see Mr. Gustav Wyns who has a Standard 40/50 car and is complaining bitterly as regards the steering and road holding. We therefore had an opportunity of comparing 28-EX. car with the Standard car under Continental conditions. Actually, 28-EX. was better than the Standard car for the two complaints but we admit it still leaves a lot to be desired and would not satisfy the customer who was complaining. We should expect En. who is using the Bentley continuously and recently did a tour on the Continent with this car to complain about the Phantom. Our own people realise the big difference in characteristic of the two cars. We can never expect to make a Phantom car behave in the same manner as the Bentley. Our anxiety was to make sure that we were not making it any worse and we are satisfied from our tests that this is not the case. There are several points on the cars which we should like to discuss with you and we are proposing that after the show it would be useful if we met at some convenient spot and tried out several cars including the "SpectreCodename for Phantom III". We are not making any alterations to 28-EX. so that you will be able to try it as it was run in France. The anti-roll rod which was fitted to 28-EX. which we hoped would improve the road holding we find has caused considerable wear on the shock absorber connections and therefore we cannot think of standardising these at the moment. This however was not on our list for Production cars. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||